Rees: It’s win or bust against Buckland

Gavin Rees says that defeat against Gary Buckland at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff on Saturday (February 1) would spell the end of his career. The former WBA world light welterweight champion was stopped by Adrien Broner in Atlantic City for ‘The Problem’s’ WBC lightweight crown in February and followed that with a slender defeat to Anthony Crolla in Bolton in June. The 33 year old now tackles his fellow Welshman in an eliminator for the British title live on AWE TV, but there’s more than just a shot at the title on the line for ‘The Rock’.

“If I lose to Gary I think that would be the end of the road for my career,” said Rees. “It’s all on the line for me, if I lose its curtains.

“2013 was the worst of my career. Two fights, two losses and some injuries, things can only get better this year. I want to start off with a good win against Gary, who is a really talented fighter that likes to come forward just like I do, so it promises to be a really good fight for the fans. We’ve sparred lots of rounds and if that’s anything to go on, it’ll be a great fight.

“I’ve been on the road for the last few years so it’s great to be back in Wales and on a big show. I love fighting, I’ve been doing it for 20 years and with a good win on February 1, I think I’ll be right back in the mix with some of the great boxers in the Lightweight division in Britain.”

Rees’ clash with Buckland is part of a great line-up of action in Matchroom Sport’s first boxing show of 2014.

Lee Selby is aiming to add the vacant European Featherweight title to the British belt he defends against former World Super Bantamweight challenger Rendall Munroe.

Olympic Gold medal hero Anthony Joshua MBE fights for the fourth time in the paid ranks against Aberdare’s Dorian Darch while Jason Cook meets Tony Pace for the Welsh Area Light Welterweight title.

Prizefighter Light Welterweight champion Chris Jenkins is in action as is former European Middleweight champion Kerry Hope, and Islington’s former British Light Middleweight title challenger Erick Ochieng faces a tough test in his first fight down at Welterweight against Dale Evans.